Abstract
Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter: Poaceae] is one of the major cereal crop and stable food crop of Ethiopia where it originated and diversified. Tef shoot fly (Atherigona hyalinipennis) is a serious pest of tef grown on black clay soils. Therefore, the present study was taken to assess the status of tef shoot fly on both row planted and broadcasted tef at small-scale farm. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Kuncho (Dz-Cr-387) variety was used for the experiment. Six treatments [two botanical extracts (Nicotiana sp. and Azadirachta indica) and two entomopathogenic fungi, (Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae) were evaluated against tef shoot flies. The result shows that all the treatments were significant (P≤ 0.05) from untreated control. Nicotiana sp. exhibited high mortality rate on both broadcast and row planted tef to a level of 80.09 and 82.59%, respectively. However, A. indica showed high mortality rate only for tef planted in rows (77.7%). Metarhizium anisopliae caused high mortality rate only in tef planted in rows. The highest yield loss (9.03%) was recorded in broadcasted on M. anisophliae followed by untreated control and in row planted B. bassiana and M. anisophliae were estimated as 8.03 and 8.23%, respectively. Hence, all treatments gave promising efficacy percent and can be used for tef shoot fly management under field conditions. Key words: Botanicals, Metarhizium anisopliae, Beauveria bassiana, tef shoot fly, management.
Highlights
Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.), Trotter: Poaceae] originated and diversified in Ethiopia
In Ethiopia tef is grown as a staple food crop for centuries
Tef is annually cultivated in a large area of lands in Ethiopia, it gives relatively low yield compared to the other cereals (CSA, 2010)
Summary
Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.), Trotter: Poaceae] originated and diversified in Ethiopia. Over 2.8 million hectares of land is covered with tef every year with its mean productivity at national level predicted at 1228 kg ha-1 (CSA, 2011). Tef occupied 22.6% of the cultivated lands under cereals, while maize occupied. Tef is annually cultivated in a large area of lands in Ethiopia, it gives relatively low yield compared to the other cereals (CSA, 2010). Inappropriate crop manage-ment practices that mainly include sowing methods, weeding practices, harvesting stage, cropping system, and fertilization contributed for the low productivity of tef in Ethiopia. Tef crop management practices such as tillage and cropping systems were studied and reported in order to develop improved practices for various tef producing regions in Ethiopia (Worku et al, 2005)
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